HOUSING LAND DEALS NOW: CALL BY NATIVE TITLE HOLDER. Report by ERWIN
CHLANDA.
A senior member of Lhere Artepe, the native title body holding the key
to opening up desperately needed housing land in Alice Springs, says
the organisation is not functioning.
Matthew Ampetyane Palmer says the release of some 90 blocks in
Larapinta should happen immediately, and in Mt Johns Valley Ð where
up to 1000 allotments could be created Ð soon after.
However, he says the Central Land Council (CLC) has control of Lhere
Artepe and is blocking progress with the negotiations.
Meanwhile Lands Minister Kon Vatskalis has denied media reports that he
has put an ultimatum to Lhere Artepe.
The NT Government has an agreement with the organisation to hold back
on developing its half of the land at Larapinta until the native title
owners have developed theirs.
A spokesperson for Mr Vatskalis says while the Minister has said he is
confident blocks will become available next year under the deal, he has
not foreshadowed that he would breach the agreement with Lhere Artepe.
Meanwhile Mr Palmer says Ð
¥ Lhere Artepe should operate as an independent organisation (which
in fact it is).
¥ Open tenders should be called for the development of land to be
obtained by native title holders; Aboriginal businessman Bobby Liddle
should be able to bid for the job but not get it automatically.
¥ Traditional Arrernte people should have a far greater involvement
in the decision making process and meetings should be held in Arrernte
language.
At present many elders are staying away because the issues are not
explained to them. He says the CLC's handling of the process is
"bullshit".
The value of Lhere Artepe's share of the land in Larapinta and Mt Johns
Valley Ð once developed Ð is estimated to be worth more than
$50m Ð but Mr Palmer had no knowledge of this.
Although he is an Arrernte "law man", one of the 30 members of Lhere
Artepe, one of its 10 executives and a former deputy chairman, Mr
Palmer has never been shown the site of the proposed Larapinta
development, and had no idea where Mt Johns Valley is until shown by
the Alice Springs News.
"We are not dumb," he says.
"But they are treating us like myall people who don't know anything
Ð in our way nor in western way.
"They are not giving us a chance to go into the right door.
"They are keeping us out of their little private meetings with the
government."That's been going on for years"
Mr Palmer says while there is clearly a fortune to be made by native
title holders from real estate, "my relatives, the Olivers, Ross and
Alice families, Arrernte people, are living at Amoonguna, and the Hayes
families are living at White Gate [a fringe camp on Undoolya Road] and
Undoolya Outstation in tin sheds and without facilities such as a
clinic, school or even a telephone.
"My people have nothing," he says.
Mr Palmer, 38, was educated in St Teresa, does not drink nor smoke, and
works as an interpreter for the law courts.
He says he is worried native title holders will miss out on the spoils
from the land deals: "We don't want little cake slices."
Mr Palmer says there are often "too many arguments at the meetings.
"A lot of people are not traditional owners."
He says he will convene a meeting soon Ð possibly next week Ð
at Ammoonguna or St Teresa to get the long-delayed Larapinta project up
and running.
He says he is confident of having the numbers in Lhere Artepe to end
the long-standing logjam.
"I have a lot of support from my people," says Mr Palmer.
"I am going to straighten this out."
Meanwhile claims by Mr Vatskalis that there is progress with the
Larapinta subdivision are under attack from Deputy Opposition Leader
Richard Lim.
Says Mr Vatskalis: "There are regular meetings between government
officers and Lhere Artepe to progress Larapinta.
"This is the first time such a negotiation between a government and a
native title group has taken place anywhere in Australia.
"A tender was awarded to local company Sitzler Brothers only two weeks
ago to carry out the first stage of headworks at the new Larapinta
subdivision.
"Work has started, so the claim that there is no progress at Larapinta
is completely false."
But Dr Lim said in the Adjournment Debate last week: "The headworks are
done by government; it is nothing to do with the development.
"Any headworks that government does, brings water, power, sewerage to
the edge of the property.
"Then the developer has to do the rest."
Dr Lim also says the government should put "some resources in to
support the Lhere Artepe, give them some legal advice.
"Get some people in to Lhere Artepe to ensure that the whole process
continues to grow, but at least have a time line.
"If there is no formal agreement signed between the government and
Lhere Artepe, now is the time to do it, says Dr Lim.
"If Lhere Artepe cannot get the land developed by a particular date,
then say to them: ÔIt is all over.
"Here is some money, and you will relinquish your native title in it'.
"Then the government can proceed to release the land for competitive
tender and it can be developed."
Mr Vatskalis described the notion of paying off native title holders as
"confrontational".
He says: "'Write a cheque' they cry.
"Perhaps the two CLP Members [Dr Lim and MacDonnell MLA John Elferink]
would also like to throw in a handful of glass beads."

BUSHFIRES ARE THE TOP NT POLLUTER. Report by ERWIN CHLANDA.
Bushfires are a major polluter and the Territory Ð huge in area but
sparsely populated Ð is a major offender on a per capita basis.
For example, in 1999 Australia's entire road transport belched 12,400
tonnes of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, while "savanna burning"
contributed 18,500 tonnes, around 50 per cent more.
Nearly half the Territory's greenhouse emissions come from bushfires in
some years.
In 1996 bushfires accounted for 25 per cent of greenhouse emissions in
the NT while the national figure was 2.4 per cent.
A massive blaze in the Tanami Desert in 2001, for example, burned
80,000 square kilometres of Aboriginal land where ancient practices of
keeping fires in check through patch burning has fallen into disuse.
That fire alone is estimated to have created nitrous oxide emissions
equivalent to nearly three per cent of the emissions by Australia's
entire transport industry in a whole year.
Nitrous oxide, as a greenhouse gas, is 310 times more harmful than
carbon dioxide (CO2).
Bushfire expert and author Peter Latz says big summer rains followed by
a dry spell Ð as occurred in 1975 Ð could this year again lead
to big fires.
The NT Government, through a unit within the Bushfires Council, and in
partnership with traditional landowners, is now investigating how
pollution from bushfires can be reduced.
The study is being carried out in West Arnhem Land.
If successful, the experiment could put the traditional landowners on
track to earning carbon credits Ð money to support ongoing land
management.
One measure could be precautionary burning early in the season to
reduce the risk of much larger, hotter and consequently more polluting
fires later on.
There are unanswered questions about the release and subsequent
re-absorption of CO2.
Vegetation such as spinifex absorbs CO2 at the greatest rate when the
plant is growing vigorously.
This occurs mainly, for two or three years, during regrowth after a
fire.
However, the fire itself releases CO2 at a great rate.
A slower release takes place when the plant dies and rots away.
The present assumption is that as much CO2 is released in a bushfire as
is re-absorbed during the subsequent regrowth, and there is a zero
gain: the system is in equilibrium.
However, says the CSIRO's Garry Cook, this is still an untested
assumption, and the Top End experiments will throw further light on it.
For example, emissions from burns in spring, when the plants are still
smaller and not yet completely dry, would release less CO2.
Yet the regrowth may be just as vigorous, removing more CO2 from the
atmosphere than had been put there by the fires.
The Bushfires Council's Andrew Edwards, who is in charge of mapping
fires in the West Arnhem study, says it measures fires with respect to
frequency, duration and areas burned, and their methane and nitrous
oxide emissions are estimated.
Mr Edwards says many of the study areas in the Top End are "very
comparable" to Central Australia, sandstone escarpments and spinifex.
Vanessa Boxshall, of the Arid Lands Environment Centre, says:
"Alarmingly, CSIRO predicts that global warming will make central
Australia wetter in summer and drier in winter in coming decades.
"This creates ideal conditions for grasses, spinifex and other
vegetation to grow, providing fuel for big bushfires.
"Unless we start managing our rangelands to prevent wildfires, it sets
up a spiral of more fires, more carbon dioxide emissions, further
global warming, increased fuel growth and more fires.
"This is on top of the existing impact of uncontrolled fires on the
mammals and plants of the region," says Ms Boxshall.
"Central Australia holds the dubious distinction of having the highest
extinction rate of mammals in all of Australia.
"If wildfires continue we will see the added disappearance of bilbies,
mala, long-tailed dunnart and the Centralian rockrat from our
rangelands.
"We must rapidly return the fire regime towards traditional Aboriginal
patch burning, which requires the NT government, pastoralists and
others to work closely with Aboriginal people, including the provision
of adequate resources and training to enable this."
Ms Boxshall says whilst millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases are
being created by wildfires in central Australia, over 200 households in
Alice Springs are participating in the Cool Communities program to
reducehousehold greenhouse gas emissions.
"Savings of three tonnes per house are congratulated by the Australian
Greenhouse Office, [but] are dwarfed by fires.
"If individuals can make an effort, surely the NT government,
pastoralists and Indigenous land holders can too."
"We have to manage fuel loads strategically so we stop fires from being
so huge," says Neil Phillips, the NT Government's Regional Natural
Resource Manager.
"The last three years' intense fire activity across Central Australia
reinforced the fact that we are trying to manage huge landscapes with
minimal people. We need to use advances in remote sensing technology to
identify target and high risk areas, and reduce those fuel loads in a
strategic manner. This will include using the various stake holders and
using incendiaries from aircraft, and existing roads and tracks to
break up the country at a bigger scale."

PERTH WOMAN WILL HEAD EDUCATION DEPT. PROBE. Report by KIERAN FINNANE.
A consultant from Perth-based Bandt Gatter and Associates has been
appointed to conduct the inquiry ordered by Minister Syd Stirling into
"poor relationships" between teachers and the Central Australian office
of the Department of Education (DEET).
The inquiry follows an investigation by the Alice Springs News (see our
last four issues).
Bandt Gatter are organisational design and development experts.
Associate Marli Wallace flew into Darwin on Monday for a briefing from
the Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment (OCPE) and a
meeting with the Australian Education Union's NT branch.
She arrives in Alice Springs tomorrow (Thursday) to meet management and
staff and obtain documentation, including past grievance files, before
school breaks up on Friday.
She will then have the summer break to develop a process for the
inquiry, returning to the Centre in the new school year.
Commissioner for Public Employment John Kirwan says he wants the
inquiry to be as comprehensive, thorough and open as possible.
How it will actually be structured Ð for instance, how people will
be encouraged to make submissions to the inquiry Ð will be at the
discretion of the consultant.
Mr Kirwan said that, apart from education staff, the consultant may
also speak with community representatives "as some issues raised go to
those relationships".
The Alice News asked Mr Kirwan if he was aware of a greater than usual
number of grievances coming out of the Central Australian region.
COMPLEXHe said the number of grievances remains fairly consistent but
the grievances are becoming more complex:
"They don't just concern one issue; they are multi-faceted and occur
over a period of time."
He said this is the case not only with DEET, but also with the
Department of Health and other agencies.
This is possibly occurring in part, he suggested, because people are
more prepared to raise issues and challenge actions than they have been
in the past, and because certain behaviours, such as bullying Ð
recently the subject of an OCPE survey Ð are identified as
unacceptable.
"In the past, people may have been prepared to turn the other cheek.
That's less the case now and I have to say, as a statutory employer, I
think that is a good thing.
"Some issues could be resolved with early intervention."
"Once they are further down the track it can be much harder to work out
exactly what has happened."
Meanwhile, AEU-NT president Robert Laird has called for the inquiry to
encompass the whole of the Territory, looking at not only human
resource issues, but also at how staffing, finance and capital
resources are allocated between schools in town centres and bush
schools.

LETTER: Inquiry - truth is needed.
Sir,- Although I welcome the much needed inquiry into the poor
relationships and systems dysfunction in administration and management
in the central region of the NT Department of Education, it needs to be
in the context of a much broader, deeper investigation conducted in
such a way that the real issues are confronted, and the right people
are asked the right questions in the right forums.
It is clearly a cross-sectoral issue and therefore needs to include all
stakeholders. Questions relating to the appalling treatment of some
recruited teachers certainly need to be addressed. This hopefully would
include the many skilled Indigenous teachers and school council members
whose careers and reputation have also been jeopardised or destroyed.
However, I am concerned that this avenue of inquiry will still leave
many questions unanswered. An analysis of the patterns and history of
management behaviours in the region could provide some insight into the
complexity of the problem. Looking back over 15 years and identifying
what has worked, what hasn't, and why, could I believe provide the
answers that would bring some truth and therefore reconciliation into
the story.
This could lead to the reconceptualising of the way business is done in
remote communities so that good practice and good practitioners are
celebrated, nurtured, valued and included into the system, and lessons
about productive pedagogies and how to work in culturally inclusive
environments to achieve agreed measurable targets can be practised.
This would bring accountability and much needed lessons for management,
service deliverers and service providers.
The big question remains, why was a model as successful as the one
developed in Papunya destroyed?
Was it because we provided secondary programs and led the way in youth
career and enterprise training and were successful in securing funding
for what was a highly successful ICT program that focused on
publication broadcasting and multimedia?
Was it because we demonstrated how learning that valued and integrated
Indigenous knowledge, language and culture with Western thinking
provided a very powerful two way pedagogy that resulted in a
comprehensive literacy acquisition and learning model embraced by the
whole community?
Was it because we put informed Indigenous people at the head of all
decision-making?
Was it because we dared to succeed in all of these areas at a time when
reform agendas and economic rationalisation required the phasing out of
both of these programs in favour of English only assimilation programs?
It appears that schools and staff that did not provide these programs
or got rid of them were not victimised and in fact have often been
rewarded, promoted or at least still have a job.
How will the following questions be addressed by this inquiry?
Why have so many experienced dedicated teachers with a proven record of
success in engaging community and valuing students been let go,
disempowered, discredited, shafted?
Why have the elders, parents, youth stopped taking part in school
activities? Will there be any compensation for students and community
teachers who have been deprived of human rights?
What reparation will be put in place for the damages incurred, services
withdrawn?
Why has the highly acclaimed Learning for Life youth program been
destroyed? What has replaced it?
Why was the Incorporated Indigenous Management Group forbidden to
continue in 2001?
When will a secondary school be provided for young people in this
region? What model has replaced the two way model that was removed?
Why was the principal position at ET4 level in 2000 upgraded to ET5 in
2002, then downgraded to ET3 in 2003?
Who is making the decisions about staffing? Who is controlling the
royalties from the "Papunya School Book of Country and History"?
Who is benefiting from the intellectual property of the Action Research
Team's curriculum project?
Who enrolled young people in courses at Centralian College without
their knowledge in 2000?
The community has a right to know the answers to these questions. They
need to know who is to be held responsible for the devastating results
of these actions and agendas that were decided without consultation
with the principal or the school council or community.
These radical actions coincided with unofficial changes to alcohol
rules, once again against the community's wishes, and some quite
irregular processes at the community level.
I feel there should also be an inquiry into other agencies' roles in
these matters. They include the Local Government Association of the NT,
ATSIC, the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and
Technology, Northern Territory Principals Association, Youth Affairs,
Correctional Services, World Vision, and Dare to Lead.
They all played some role in the rise and fall of the Community School
at Papunya. They should all be accountable.
Diane deVere
Melbourne
(Former principal, Papunya School)

'THEY NEVER GOT OFF THEIR HORSES. THEY SHOT THEM DOWN IN COLD BLOOD.'
Coniston Massacre. Part Fourteen of a Feature by DICK KIMBER.
'Real True History': Coniston Massacre
The 1929 Enquiry continues

Constable Murray's evidence that 14 more men had been shot in addition
to the 17 originally known about would be expected to come as a shock
to the Board of Enquiry members.
However it is almost certain that John Cawood had alerted the other
board members to what he had heard from Sergeant Noblett and Constable
Murray about more shootings (a point made by Murray during the
enquiry), and that rather than themselves be "caught out" by possible
revelations from others, the board members had indirectly instructed
Murray to keep quiet about the second patrol, but mention incidents
that occurred during the third patrol.
In the passage that follows the chairman's expression "it is now clear"
might be interpreted as clarification of the previously unwritten
reports, and under the circumstances I believe that it is an obvious
thing for the board to have insisted that Murray give the additional
details.
However, the Chairman's questioning of George Murray was probing, as
these few brief extracts indicate:-
"Chairman: Constable Murray, this enquiry was established to look into
the events surrounding the death of seventeen natives. From your
evidence it is now clear that a further fourteen lives were taken, yet
nowhere does this appear to be in any report from you detailing such
deaths. I would suggest that this is a matter we should look very
closely at now. Let us start with the shooting you have referred to at
Coniston Station when a native in chains was wounded. Who was present
at that incident?
Constable Murray: My trackers Paddy and Major were the only ones there.
Chairman: You didn't mention this in any report?
Constable Murray: I gave my evidence more fully today.
Chairman: You made a report dated 2 September, 1928, but you also did
not mention that four natives including one lubra were dead and that a
fifth, also a lubra, had been badly wounded. Apparently she died but
you did not seem to think it important to detail when this happened?
Constable Murray: I don't think it matters where she died a minute or
an hour afterwards."
And so the questioning and the answers went, and similarly in the case
of the third patrol, as again a few examples indicate:-"Chairman: In
reference to the Morton case, did you in your report give the number
killed?
Constable Murray: No.
Chairman: Why?
Constable Murray: I did not think it necessary at the time."
After further similar probes the chairman continues:
"Chairman: Could you not have made a supplementary report later? You
have had four months in which to do this.
Constable Murray: I could have made one.
Chairman: Did you not think it of sufficient importance to make it?
Constable Murray: I gave my report to my superiors. [That is, Sergeant
Noblett and Administrator and Police Superintendent John Cawood knew].
I thought it was for them to call for another one.
Chairman: Exactly. That is what I think too. What about the incident
about your native boys bringing in two prisoners. Nothing at all about
that in your report although you tell about it in evidence.
Constable Murray: I included them in the number who were killed.
Chairman: There is no need to hedge. This concerns the taking of
thirty-one lives. You are far too casual about it. It has been
suggested that these were reprisals or punitive expeditions to clean up
the blacks so that they would never return.
Constable Murray: It never entered my head or any of my party as far as
I know. My last instructions were not to shoot unless it was absolutely
necessary. We had opportunities to shoot perhaps hundreds had we wished
to massacre the natives."
These truly representative examples indicate that, whatever the
Warlpiri, Anmatyerre and Kaytetye survivors and their descendants think
today, and whatever researchers since the 1950s have thought, Constable
Murray did not concede that the combined incidents constituted a
massacre.
He did not see it as a "frenzy" of killing, as a television report
recently labelled it, but as a policeman doing his job. And yet, as
will later be considered, what or how many constitutes a massacre? Was
George Murray correct in his view that it was not a massacre, or was he
so hardened by having been present when literally hundreds of thousands
of men were killed in World War 1 battles in which he was directly
involved that he could not make a valid assessment? Or was he "covering
up"?
As earlier intimated, a limited number of other points are now also
briefly examined.
Sergeant Noblett was castigated for his "slipshod method" of dealing
with matters, and failure to ensure that both he and George Murray
followed convention by writing detailed reports. (Mounted Constable
Willshire had been formally criticised for the identical failure in the
1880s).
Under questioning Sergeant Noblett indicated that almost everything had
only been verbally reported, whether between him and Murray or him and
Cawood. He also gave responses of a "slipped my memory" or "I don't
know" kind; and stated that he thought that the general reports were
acceptable, though they omitted almost all details of any shootings.
My interpretation is that he was the first to realise the likely
ramifications of the shootings, and had done his best to protect Murray
and Cawood as well as himself by deliberately encouraging, as well as
himself writing, extremely limited reports. (Despite having had no
official police training, Murray stated that when he first took up
duties as a Territory policeman he had learnt the correct method of
reporting matters from a senior police officer, thus confessing that he
had deliberately limited his reports).
Police Paddy was the only Aboriginal witness called. His evidence was
patently a construct, even to the point of claiming that he and
Constable Murray had examined Fred Brooks' body when all other evidence
absolutely indicates that it had been already been deeply buried by
Bruce Chapman and was not again disturbed.
That he gave his considerable evidence without questions being asked by
the board, whereas all other witnesses were asked questions, indicates
to me that board members considered him likely to give incriminating
evidence if questioned. Where conflicting evidence was given by Police
Paddy, such as about the death of handcuffed prisoners Ð which
would have meant that Murray had shot handcuffed men Ð Constable
Murray answered the later questions.
Similarly it was Constable Murray who answered any other "dangerous"
statements by Police Paddy, such as that wounded prisoners were not
seen again after they had been handed over to Murray.
In that numbers of the seasonal Aboriginal station hands and domestic
servants had tolerable "bush English" and the station men all had some
ability to make themselves understood in a mixture of bush English and
Anmatyerre or Warlpiri, the board's inability to find a single
Anmatyerre or Warlpiri witness who could have been questioned is
remarkable.
It is also difficult to conclude other than that the board members'
travels, in taking them over much of the Coniston-Broadmeadows country
that was accessible by motor vehicle, took them only to what they
partially wanted to see rather than a whole lot more to which they
could have been guided.
Further to this, when the board members received news that Alex Wilson
had recovered from illness in Darwin, they did not themselves request
his immediate travel back to Stuart Town to give evidence to the
enquiry, but asked George Murray if he wished Alex to give evidence.
George, knowing that Alex had translated Lala's statements rather too
honestly for his comfort in Darwin, was allowed by the board to dismiss
the possibility on the basis that Alex was a "half-caste" who was
illiterate, and therefore that his evidence would be unreliable. The
board also supported Murray by saying that the calling of Alex would
have meant a delay in the hearings, and found a degree of solace in
George Murray's and George Morton's statements that Alex stayed with
the horses while they did the shooting. However, since Alex always
followed close behind with the horses, and observed what transpired on
each occasion, his own statements are worth mentioning. As he told a
friend of mine:
"They never got off their horses. They shot them down in cold blood."
Alex had a way of telling a story that instantly drew one in. He had
hand movements, alert watchfulness as though never to be surprised when
someone was "about", the cocking of an eye, the changing tone of voice,
that were unique to him, yet understandable to all. "In cold blood" was
an expression he used more than once to me when discussing the Coniston
story.
NEXT WEEK: The findings.

Another year in paradise. COLUMN by STEVE FISHER.
I used to keep a diary, but I couldn't get around to writing in it.
So I fell weeks behind. It got to the point where I was trying to write
insightful comments on the daily grind of August, but during the
Christmas break.
In Alice Springs, undistracted by the pressures of big city life, it
ought to be easier. Except that other excuses intrude, like the heat or
the rain or country dramas or rugby tournaments or lengthy yarns with
people you don't need to have a yarn with in the first place.
So, with or without a diary, how was your year? Here's a reflection on
2003, seen through the narrow lens of my Centralian household.
January. Radio National springs to life after summer slumber of
repeats, then falls asleep again after a week. Fail to retune to
another station but instead consider downloading better radio programs
from the Internet and playing them on a CD player. Fail to do this
either.Camp at Yulara. Lie in tent and melt ice cubes on forehead to
keep cool.
February. Potter around in garden to no avail. Spread dynamic lifter
but it stays solid. Install compost heap. Contents dry out and blow
away in unexpected wind.
Household battery charger fails. No new battery for electric
toothbrush. Teeth go yellow despite absence of smoking. As a result, I
keep my mouth shut and don't smile for a month. Not as hard as it
sounds.
March. Install greywater system for dusty backyard. When finished, as a
reward I purchase an exciting book about adventure cycling. Sit in
armchair and forget to read it.April. Evenings spoiled by irritating
retired general making daily television commentary on the progress of
the war in Iraq. Relief comes with declaration of end of war and return
of general to golf course. SARs stays on the other side of the desert.
May. Electric oil-filled radiator fails to heat room. For four months.
Then cold nights become hot nights in the space of a day-and-a-half.
Renovate bathroom and enjoy cold tiles.June. New native plant turns
crispy. After hours of toil and one bout of heatstroke, I look at my
garden and realise the many different typologies of desert.
July. Visit towns on Sunshine Coast and notice how they are joined
together by suburbs and shopping malls. Undertake fruitless search for
unspoiled coast on local buses. Under bombardment of government
publicity, finally accept the importance of learning how to
resuscitate, but don't learn.
August. Repeated television advert for four-wheel drive dealer in
Townsville begins to grate. Need break from blonde presenter so pay
more attention to family-sized salesmen from local Toyota dealer.
Join in the broadband revolution. Receive grainy streaming videos of
home town soccer team losing matches, a strangely heart-warming
experience.
September. Garden mulch forms mulch dunes after heavy downpour. Replace
mulch but it shifts again after high wind. Cat uses new compost bin as
a toilet.
October. Close friend dies. Hollow feeling for days. Feel better but
feel guilty for feeling better. Time not much of a healer.
Finish personal website. Join crest of e-commence wave until friend
suggests that I should pay people to visit it.
Update website for a reluctant audience of one. Departed friend would
have enjoyed it.
November. Vice-free life spoiled by too many blueberry muffins. Go to
gym. Increase fitness targets. Fitness stays the same.
Morning news replaced by incomprehensible footage of good-looking
viewers getting married.
Can't switch it off due to my manic rowing in the gym on a rowing
machine.
December. Squawking chooks annoy neighbours. Build hut for them
insulated by carpet from tip shop. Reflect on the year.Actually, this
year was very good. I wonder what 2004 will be like. Next week; next
year.
steve@afishoutofwater.com

Getting ready for Santa. COLUMN by ANN CLOKE.
Our first Virgin experience last week went extremely well Ð other
friends had availed themselves of the service and David and I thought
it was about time that we did tooÉ
Little Sally, David's youngest daughter, turned 30 which was a good
reason to head to Sydney, and it's so great to have choices and
competition in our skies É and there, in the Voyeur, in the City
Guide section our own Editor Extraordinaire, Erwin, extolling the
virtues of some of his favourite places, The Sports Bar, Keller's Swiss
and Indian Restaurant and the Araluen Centre. I sat (in the middle)
next to a young Danish girl who took full advantage of her window seat
to snap away at the Centralian landscape as we lifted out of Alice.
She was ten months into her twelve month Aussie adventure and loved
exploring the Centre (with Wayward Tours) and although Uluru was
breath-taking in its enormity, her highlight was Kata Tjuta and a walk
through the Valley of the Winds.
Her trip around Tasmania also ranked highly Ð so different from her
homeland, beautiful but flat Denmark, and a world apart from the Swiss
Alps. We talked about travels, life and famous Danish baconsÉ
which reminded me that ordinarily by now I'd have ordered the
traditional ham from Shorty Ð a bit pointless, as we'll be
celebrating (flying Qantas, the Australian Way) Christmas for the first
time in over 20 years with my family in New Zealand. It'll be different
Ð and somewhat cooler as well!!
Christmas in the Centre is always special: there was much festive cheer
and high spirits on a Wednesday morning when David and I sat, with
others, enjoying coffees at Sporties', observing Town Council employees
hanging Christmas decorations around the sails in our mall Ð two
trucks, one with a cherry picker affair, an electrician's ute, much
frivolity and laughter, as the red and green decorations were hung, a
yellow star sitting at the top.
Banners around arterial roads carry festive messages, shops have
brilliant window displays, Santa's and nativity scenes, house owners
string lights around their gardens, prepared to risk overload and
breaking of circuits and records (Congrads to Ruth and Wally!), and
there are open invitations to one and all to enjoy carols by
candlelight.
Santa, looking very jolly, and a bit hot, in his bright red suit,
ringing his bell and bellowing "Merry Christmas" toured the streets at
the weekend, with helpers, on the back of a twin cab utility: He's
obviously giving the reindeer a break as he readies the sleigh: the
elves have been working non stop (I took my niece, Lesley-Ann, and
nephew, Bart, to see the movie "Elf" and hadn't realized how frenetic
life at the North Pole is, year in, year out) and the Alice is geared
for another splendid festive season.
Bart and Lesley-Ann were busy making Christmas cards for Nan and Pop in
New Zealand and friends who have moved interstate. It's a funny time of
the year isn't it? Thinking about friends and family elsewhere unless
we're lucky and they either live here, or will visit, over the holiday
break Ð time to reflect on those less fortunate and maybe pop an
extra something in to the Salvation Army or one of the many collection
points around town.
Time also to consider some who aren't celebrating with us because
they're in another place with all those people (and don't we each know
some of them?) who have passed away Ð Pattie, forever fifty,
forever young, our dear friend who hasn't had Christmas with us for
five years, and others, who've touched our lives in special ways,
spring to mind É I like to think that they're all together
somewhereÉ having a gi-normous partyÉ floating, being, in
another dimension.
Australia is still the lucky country Ð despite all that is
happening globally, we have much to celebrate, and the time to do it.
I'm not going to make any resolutions (I always break them!) this year:
I hope that you and yours have a happy healthy festive season and that
the new year brings all you desire, and more. Let's hope and pray that
2004 is the year in which universal peace and understanding will
finally prevail.

CRICKET: SCORE SHEETS CAN BE DECEIVING. Report by PAUL FITZSIMONS.
Scorebooks can reveal the statistics, and the result of matches is
recorded for posterity. The games themselves can be quite a different
affair, however, as evidenced when RSL Works took on Wests at Albrecht
Oval on Saturday.
The RSL side returned a win after setting Wests a target of 168 and
bowling the Bloods out for a mere 80.
In the day night game at Traeger Park Federal made it six wins out of
seven for the season after Rovers posted 141, and the Demons surpassed
the score, having lost eight wickets.
The Albrecht game was one of intrigue and closer than the score book
records. Works had first use of the bat and were without the services
of skipper Jeff Whitmore. They had far from a solid start to their
knock when they were 1/0 and soon after 4/20 and looking down the
barrel.
Wests' captain Jeremy Bigg was in form and was particularly well
supported by Peter Lake. Lake bowled in a manner reminiscent of his
halcyon years, and with his skipper kept RSL honest. The batting side
showed some form of revival in the middle order with Scott Robertson
posting an invaluable half century.
Returning to the Works line up was Matt Salzberger, who contributed
with 28, so seeing a score of 167 on the board.
In beginning the chase Wests got off to a "flyer" with Adam Stockwell
appearing to be in complete command.
The were 0/32 and looking the goods before the influence of Salzberger,
Cameron Robertson and Wayne Eglington took over.
With Salzberger snaring four wickets and three a piece to Robertson and
Eglington , Westies were torpedoed out making a lowly 80. The effort of
Jeremy Bigg to remain not out in trying to put together some resistance
was the standout batting performance.
Under lights Federal were drawn to face Rovers. On the Traeger Oval
Rovers had first use of the bat and put together 141. The major
influences on the batting were Nick Clapp who compiled 46 and Peter
Kleinig who offered support with 32.
Feds however were rewarded with sterling performances by Curtis
Marriott and Allan Rowe who took three wickets each, and Jarrad Wapper
and skipper Jason Swain who claimed two wickets a piece.
Federal were far from home and hosed however as their batting line up
lacked the regular faces, Graham and Michael Smith, Tom Clemens and
Brendan Martin.
The responsibility early in the order was left to Darcy Barmier who put
together 23 and later, Jarrad Wapper who remained not when the target
was reached.
Of the Rovers' attack it was Adrian McAdam and Tee Rayfield who
provided most venom.
This weekend one day cricket continues with RSL Works having the luxury
of playing a day night match against Federal on Traeger. The fixture
should be a corker as RSL will see the return of the strategist
Whitmore, and Federal should be strengthened by the return of their
regulars.At Albrecht Oval Rovers will play Westies, with the Bloods
searching for a win over the Blues who have had their player resources
depleted somewhat in recent weeks.

FESTIVE SPIRIT. Report by PAUL FITZSIMONS.
Ben Cornell thought all of his Christmases had come at once on Saturday
at Pioneer Park when he booted home the first three winners.
In the 1200 metre December Class Five Handicap the new hope of the
Terry Gillett stable, The Burcutter, led from the 1000 metre mark. He
jumped out of gate four, and controlled proceedings by some two lengths
as they entered the straight. Stablemate Earth Legend took the sit in
second place while the eventual winner Bysanto followed on the outside
of La Mexa.
The Burcutter couldn't run the race out as they entered the straight
and Bysanto took advantage of the situation and proved to be too strong
in the run home, finishing a winner by a length and three quarters.
Earth Legend rattled on to take second place with The Burcutter a
similar distance away third. The $3.50 favourite, Shadow Boxer, did
little to impress and trailed La Mexa into fifth place.
The Bulldust and Bough Shades Class Three Handicap was raced over 1400
metres. From the gates there was a mad charge for the lead with the
favourite, Monkey Boy, Bright Vision and Crown Pacific vying for the
lead.
Crown Pacific proved in this race that he needs to lead to win, as
Bright Vision established himself on the rails, commanded a lead and
simply kept going to win by three and a quarter lengths.
Original Warrior did well to come from midfield to pick up second money
and Monkey Boy filled the placings albeit a good two and a quarter
lengths behind.
The Summer Handicap over 1400 metres, attracted a field of six. He's
Tough Enough, who has not been racing at his best led but found the
petrol tank to be low a thousand metres out.
Queens Image settled in second spot, with Gamera handy. At the business
end of the race a tight finish prevailed with Gamera getting the nod
from Queens Image by a short head. The pull in weights could have been
the deciding factor in this result. The revered Le Saint then collected
third money a length and a half off the pace.
The Finke River Trobis Maiden Plate over 1100 metres was an eye opener
as five of the six starters enjoyed their first run at the Park. Mighty
Mox was the most experienced campaigner having had two previous starts
here, but experience proved little as Blues Legend, accompanied by Gary
Lefoe led early by two lengths and then extended the lead to eight
lengths by the winning post.
Mighty Mox ran on to take second, while Ellen Sunshine earned a note in
the black book as she threaded her way from the back of the field to
finish third.
The last, the second division of the Finke River Maiden, was a cause
for celebration for the Ted Wade stable. Wade's two-year-old Belle
Rokaiya shared the lead early with Liaise and Wood Vice. In the
straight ,however, Belle Rokoiya proved too strong winning by two
lengths on the line.
A run to remember was that of Wood Vice who tested Liaise in the run to
go down by a mere neck.
In the meantime several performers from the north are now settled in
stables in the southern capitals. Getting Lucky had some misfortune in
the barriers, in Melbourne, on Saturday when she was Ôspooked',
and in the process nicked a leg to force her withdrawal from the event.
Connections of Nappa in Adelaide overcame the top weight handicap by
employing the services of an apprentice, but even so the Centralian
star found the going tough to finish midfield.
The most impressive of the locals interstate was Drifter who claimed a
handy fourth and should build on that performance.
The last meeting prior to Christmas at Pioneer Park will be a twilight
meet on Thursday week, December 18.

KIDS' CLASSIC. Review by KIERAN FINNANE.
His name is Hunwick: born of the pen of Mem Fox and the pencils of
Alice Springs artist Pamela Lofts.
Lofts is perhaps better known locally as an installation artist Ð
one of a handful of non-Indigenous artists from the Centre who exhibit
nationally and internationally.
But she is also recognised as a children's book illustrator, the artist
behind the Australian children's classics, Koala Lou and Wombat Stew,
both into umpteenth editions, and the series of traditional Aboriginal
stories for children such as How the Kangaroos got their Tails, which
will be relaunched in early 2004 by Scholastic.
Koala Lou was also done with Mem Fox, and the new title, Hunwick's Egg,
takes some of its cues from the earlier book: endearing Australian
animal character, touching storyline.
FROM PAGE 8.For Lofts, though, Hunwick had the extra appeal for being
set in the desert heartland of Australia, where she has made her home
since 1991.
She has delighted in rendering in delicate detail and exquisite colour
the little-known plants and creatures of the desert. These include bush
tomato, parakeelya and parrot pea or bird flowers, as well as the
dunnart, mala, honeyant, piedish beetle and case moths. They are the
rich environment of the story rather than its characters, and have all
been the subject of considerable research by Lofts.Hunwick, the bilby,
is observed in many moods and poses, perhaps a little "humanised" but
who would quarrel with that? He is above all very animated, as are all
the creatures of this story. This desert is alive!
If Fox is interested in stimulating children's literacy, Lofts is
equally committed to developing their eye, their "visual literacy". Her
work is about illustrating, yes, but also about the art of drawing
Ð mark-making Ð in which she achieves great finesse.
"For me the project is partly about more traditional drawing being part
of our visual world," she says. Marks made by hand are really
important, they are more magical. You can't achieve the same effect
with digital technology."
Hunwick's Egg will be published by Harcourt in USA and Penguin in
Australia.